April at CLCS: MSWW Conference this weekend, Arab American Workers' Forum, and more! |
Dear Friend of CLCS,
Welcome to April! As we approach this weekend's Michigan School for Women Workers—in its 52nd year!—we are also looking forward to our very first Arab American Workers' Forum on April 25. We'll see many of you at MSWW and hope you'll join us for this exciting new event as well!
At this event, we'll be joined by labor leaders, community organizers, and elected officials, including Jay Makled (UAW 600), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Abbas Alawieh (Arab American Progressives).
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April is Arab American Heritage Month, a celebration of Arab American culture and an opportunity to reflect on the struggles and accomplishments of Arab communities in the U.S. Dating to the 19th century, there is a rich (though often hidden) history of Arab workers organizing and leading the Labor Movement. This Arab American labor tradition continues today, larger and more vibrant than ever before.
The first major wave of Arab immigrants to the U.S. started in the 1870s, largely from present-day Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. Many built their lives in and around Dearborn, MI, finding work in the early years of the auto industry. The 20th century saw greater immigration from Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula, particularly from Yemen. After WW2, the Arab American political identity we know today began to take form.
Whether in the mines, across the textile and garment industries, on the auto shop floor, or in the farm fields, Arab workers have a long and proud history of labor organizing. Today, especially here in Southeast Michigan, Arab communities are dynamic organizing bases, developing community resilience and power through solidarity organizing among rank-and-file union members, expanded social programs and services, and potent electoral campaigns.
Looking forward, we have several events where you can get involved! Join in at these upcoming events:
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April 25: Arab-American Workers' Forum, a free, all-day event on the UM-Dearbon campus. There will be panel presentations, a community lunch, and musical performers! Make sure to RSVP here!
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May 1: May day events across the region and country. CLCS will be joining the rally and march in Detroit, organized by Metro Detroit AFL-CIO
- June 25-27: Save the date! 2026 Young Workers Conference, Somerset Inn (Troy, MI).
- Keep an eye out for announcements for Symposiums in May and June!
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We want to share information that is relevant and interesting to YOU and your networks; if you have feedback or have something you'd like us to share, don't hesitate to shoot us an email! (clcs.labor@umich.edu, or reply directly to this newsletter!) This might include news stories, events to promote, job postings, or anything labor related you'd like shared out!
Monthly newsletters typically will include announcements of upcoming events, media and recaps from past conferences and symposia, and research reports on labor in Michigan. Each newsletter will also have a Labor in the Headlines section, with news items on current events in the labor movement, so be sure to scroll all the way through!
Newsletters will also live on our website, under "News".
In Solidarity,
Dom Bouavichith, CLCS Staff
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Inaugural Arab American Workers' Forum |
In partnership with U-M's Center for Arab-American Studies and local community organizations, we'll be hosting the first Arab American Worker's Forum at UM-Dearborn.
The event will be held all day on Saturday, April 25, with speaker panels, networking, lunch, and discussions on building power.
The event is FREE, and there will be a lunch social with local performers.
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The Metro Detroit AFL-CIO is organizing a May Day rally and march, starting at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.
Join labor unions and community orgs as we collectively show up for International Workers' Day!
Friday, May 1, 4pm
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The LaborLab 2026 Summit will convene workers, organizers, researchers, and community allies for a solutions-driven gathering focused on protecting the right to organize, where attendees will gain actionable strategies to counter union-busting tactics and support organizing campaigns. Designed to build capacity and connection, the Summit equips participants with the tools to advance worker power and join a growing national network committed to defending workplace democracy.
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| The 55th Annual Convention for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) will be held May 20-24 in Atlanta, GA.
The theme, Cherish our Legacy & Bend to No One, will guide the conversations and workshops.
More info below, on CBTU's website.
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UAW Constitutional Convention |
UAW members: Mark your calendars for the Constitutional Convention!
The 39th Convention will be held June 15-18, in Huntington Place, right here in Detroit.
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| Young Workers Conference 2026 |
June 25-27 will mark CLCS's annual Young Workers Conference, to be held at Somerset Inn in Troy, MI.
There will be courses on Labor Law, Health & Safety, among others! Check our website for more details.
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CALLING ALL FACULTY!! – Join our work at CLCS! |
| We invite faculty from all three campuses to join for our Faculty Affiliate cohort, which will be meeting in February.
During this meeting, we'll discuss plans for the Winter 2026 semester and start developing programming and research plans.
All faculty (any campus, any position) are invited, and the meeting will happen over Zoom.
Respond to this email to get the Zoom link! Feel free to forward this newsletter to faculty who might be interested!
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Mercede-Benz autoworkers near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, may soon vote to join the UAW. This organizing comes as part of UAW's effort to organize the South, following success at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson, alongside pro-labor electeds Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani, just launched Union Now, a national worker power and organizing fund. Hamilton Nolan discusses how this will fuel new organizing to build back the labor movement.
- Service workers at SoFi Stadium (UNITE HERE 11) are threatening a strike over ICE presence at the 2026 World Cup games in Los Angeles.
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According to a new report from the Center for Working-Class Politics, Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy, and Jacobin, voters trust political candidates more when they're union members. Jake Triola of In These Times argues that unions should be running members in political races.
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A New York Times investigation published in March uncovered Cesar Chavez's long history of abuses. The labor movement and broader public been grappling with Chavez's legacy since. Frank Bardacke, a historian of the United Farm Workers, connects the culture of undemocratic unionism to Chavez's abuses, in an interview with Jane Slaughter.
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9-1-1 dispatchers in NW Ohio (UAW 12) are fighting to be classified as first responders. According to union leadership, dispatchers regularly face high-stress and traumatic situations while serving as the first point of contact during emergencies. Reclassification would provide access to expanded benefits for these workers.
- After particularly difficult negotiations, screenwriters with the WGA have settled their contract.
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Just this morning, workers at Los Angeles Unified School District called off a strike, after management reached a deal with SEIU Local 99, which represents 30,000 custodians, food workers, special education assistants and bus drivers. SEIU 99 was the third of three unions representing LA school workers to reach a tentative agreement, averting a strike of ~70,000 members.
- The American Postal Worker Union has launched a nationwide ad campaign promoting mail-in voting, ahead of a contentious 2026 elections season.
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